Mangaluru skies filled with artistic kites at 8th International Kite festival
Mangaluru: Kites inspired by Indian art forms such as Kathakali and Yakshagana, alongside designs like Pushpaka Vimana and Gajaraja Garuda as well as cartoon characters flooded skies of Mangaluru marking the 8th International Kite Festival.
The festival held at Tannirbhavi Beach on Saturday was inaugurated by Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Speaking at the event, Minister Rao highlighted the festival’s growing international appeal, citing the participation of a kite-flying world champion from Greece.
“With such global interest, the festival has immense scope to attract even larger audiences. Let us aim to host a grander, more competitive event next year,” he said.
Team Mangaluru, an amateur kite-flying group, organised the event in collaboration with ONGC MRPL and the district administration as part of the Karavali Utsav. This year’s theme was “One Sky, One Earth, One Family”.
They also flew elaborate kites inspired by Indian art forms such as Kathakali and Yakshagana, alongside designs like Pushpaka Vimana and Gajaraja Garuda. These have already represented India at international kite festivals in France, Italy, Canada, amd and South Korea.
This year’s festival witnessed enthusiastic participation from thousands of visitors and kite enthusiasts. International teams from countries such as England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden, Indonesia, and Portugal joined Indian participants from states including Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, and Gujarat.
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Ex-minister Shrawon Kumar appointed JD(U) legislative party leader in Bihar
Patna (PTI): Former Bihar minister Shrawon Kumar has been made the JD(U)'s legislative party leader, a notification issued by the state assembly secretariat said on Tuesday.
The development comes a day after the party's legislators had "authorised" national president Nitish Kumar to take a decision in the matter.
The JD(U) supremo had chaired a meeting of party MLAs and MLCs at 1, Anney Marg, the official residence of the Chief Minister of Bihar, which he is likely to vacate soon in view of having relinquished the top post.
Shrawon Kumar, a confidant of the JD(U) chief, is a seventh-term MLA from Nalanda constituency, which falls in the eponymous district to which the former CM also belongs.
The 68-year-old leader, who is a Kurmi, a powerful OBC group to which Nitish Kumar also belongs, has held portfolios like rural development, social welfare and transport in governments headed by his mentor, who has now moved to the Rajya Sabha.
Meanwhile, the JD(U) president's son Nishant congratulated Shrawon Kumar upon being appointed as the legislative party leader.
"This is great. I extend him my best wishes," he told reporters.
BJP leader Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the 24th chief minister of Bihar on April 15, marking the first instance of a member of the saffron party assuming the top post in the state.
